Previous studies have found that higher physical activity levels are associated with greater academic achievement among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are due to the physical activity itself or sports team participation, which may involve requirements for maintaining certain grades, for example. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between sports team participation, physical activity, and academic outcomes in middle and high school students.[1] For high school girls, both physical activity and sports team participation were each independently associated with a higher GPA.[2] For high school boys, only sports team participation was independently associated with a higher GPA. For middle school students, the positive association between physical activity and GPA could not be separated from the relationship between sports team participation and a higher GPA. Conclusions: Regardless of whether academic success was related to the physical activity itself or to participation on sports teams, findings indicated positive associations between physical activity involvement and academic achievement among students.
Reflection:
This article was interesting because of how it made such a bold statement that physical activity promotes higher academic achievement. Unfortunately, the study conducted was extremely broad. Rather than conducting their own research, they opted to use statistics of students who participated in sports and their GPA's compared with students who did not participate in sports. There were no individual statistics and no data pertaining to the effects physical activity. Specifically, a form of tracking that could calculate a correlation between amount of activity and amount of academic success. I used this article as the foundation for the rest of my research.
Leslee J. Scheuer, a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, argues that a positive relationship of physical activity and academic performance has been described in several studies conducted in the United States by the California Department of Education. These studies support one another in suggesting that when a substantial amount of school time is dedicated to physical activity, academic performance meets and may even exceed that of students not receiving additional physical activity. Scheuer outlines the research done by saying that “Youth receiving additional physical activity tend to show improved attributes such as increased brain function and nourishment, higher energy/concentration levels, changes in body build affecting self esteem, increased self-esteem and better behavior which may all support cognitive learning”[3] . He goes on to cite the specific study conducted statewide by Calidornia. A cross-sectional study completed by the California Department of Education (CDE) (2002), included a sample of 954,000 students who were in grades five (353,000), seven (322,000), and nine (279,000).[4] The study individually matched Stanford Achievement Test Ninth Edition (SAT-9) standardized test scores with results of the state-mandated, teacher administered, physical fitness test, known as the Fitnessgram. The study showed a "statistical analysis indicating a distinct and linear correlation between students' academic achievement and fitness scores" in all three grades.[5] Higher academic performance was positively related to higher levels of fitness with the greatest academic gains in students who met three or more physical fitness standards. Scheuer concludes that enhanced brain function, energy levels, body builds/perceptions, self-esteem, and behavior have been attributed to physical activity and to improved academic performance.[6] One cannot make direct correlations from the information offered. However it is obvious that many positive relationships have been suggested. Perhaps instead of decreasing physical activity, school officials should consider developing enhanced physical activity programs.
Reflection:
Once again, this research draws its conclusions from correlation studies. In the editorial Scheuer argues that physical activity does, in fact, lead to higher academic success. I believed his information was much more accurate because it used an actual sample of students from the state of California. The test specifically related the physical fitness tests taken in gym class and that statewide standardized test and found a correlation between the scores in each. Scheuer makes a great point in this article when he says that instead of decreasing physical activity we should promote it based on its benefits. I tied this research into my statement that school boards favor academic constructs such as teacher effectiveness rather than look to a direct link to improve academics.
Researchers Michael J. Puma and Duncan Chaplin ask the question,does participation in out-of-school extracurricular activities improve academic achievement or behavior for elementary school children? Analyses were conducted using relatively standard techniques to control for the fact that students who participate in out-of-school-time extracurricular activities differ in important ways from nonparticipants. These analyses found statistically significant and positive effects of such participation in arts, music, drama, and language classes. Research found that the results were not only highly dependent on the choice of analytical approach, but the initial positive effects disappeared when more appropriate analytical models were used.[7]
Reflection:
This article outlines a problem that I had with the majority of my research. Most studies concerning extracurricular activities only used correlations between the activities and academic achievement. Unfortunately, while it does provide insight to if certain actions effect an outcome, it cannot stand as a valid measure of effectiveness by itself. A more reliable test would be to track students before and after physical activity and measure if their scores did improve. To further the point the article was trying to make, the researchers could have provided the reader with the data pertaining to students who did not participate in extracurricular activities and their test scores.
While several studies have shown that students who participate in athletic activities perform better in school than those who do not, it is not clear whether this association is a result of positive academic spillovers, or due to the influence of unobservables. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and a variety of statistical techniques designed to distinguish between these hypotheses, researchers Daniel Reese and Joseph Sabia examined the effect of sports participation on several measures of academic performance.
Reflection:
This study concludes that there is a link between extracurricular activities and academic success. But it also says that this may be a result of positive academic spillovers such as great teachers, an extraordinary learning environment, or well motivated children. Additionally, it does not take into account unobservable factors such as coincidences (students who are great students even if they didn't play sports). I thought this was a great article because of its in depth analysis of the different factors that may effect student success.
Tremblay, M. S., Inman, J. W., & Willms, J. D. (2000). The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Self-Esteem, and Academic Achievement in 12-Year-Old Children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 12, 312-324.
^Linder, K. J. (2002). The Physical Activity Participation--Academic Performance Relationship Revisited: Perceived and Actual Performance and the Effect of Banding (Academic Tracking). Pediatric Exercise Science, 14, 155-170.
Puma, Michael J., and Duncan Chaplin. "What "Extras" Do We Get with Extracurriculars? Technical Research Considerations." Urban Institute, 30 Sept. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. .
Sports and Student Involvement in Relation to Achievement
by Jason AllardERIC
Fox, Claudia K. "Physical Activity and Sports Team Participation: Associations with Academic Outcomes in Middle School and High School Students."ERIC. Wiley-Blackwell, Jan. 2010. Web. <http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00454.x>.
Summary:
Previous studies have found that higher physical activity levels are associated with greater academic achievement among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are due to the physical activity itself or sports team participation, which may involve requirements for maintaining certain grades, for example. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between sports team participation, physical activity, and academic outcomes in middle and high school students.[1]For high school girls, both physical activity and sports team participation were each independently associated with a higher GPA.[2] For high school boys, only sports team participation was independently associated with a higher GPA. For middle school students, the positive association between physical activity and GPA could not be separated from the relationship between sports team participation and a higher GPA. Conclusions: Regardless of whether academic success was related to the physical activity itself or to participation on sports teams, findings indicated positive associations between physical activity involvement and academic achievement among students.
Reflection:
This article was interesting because of how it made such a bold statement that physical activity promotes higher academic achievement. Unfortunately, the study conducted was extremely broad. Rather than conducting their own research, they opted to use statistics of students who participated in sports and their GPA's compared with students who did not participate in sports. There were no individual statistics and no data pertaining to the effects physical activity. Specifically, a form of tracking that could calculate a correlation between amount of activity and amount of academic success. I used this article as the foundation for the rest of my research.Editorial
http://www.sports-media.org/sportapolisnewsletter19.htmSummary:
Leslee J. Scheuer, a graduate student at the University of Central Florida, argues that a positive relationship of physical activity and academic performance has been described in several studies conducted in the United States by the California Department of Education. These studies support one another in suggesting that when a substantial amount of school time is dedicated to physical activity, academic performance meets and may even exceed that of students not receiving additional physical activity. Scheuer outlines the research done by saying that “Youth receiving additional physical activity tend to show improved attributes such as increased brain function and nourishment, higher energy/concentration levels, changes in body build affecting self esteem, increased self-esteem and better behavior which may all support cognitive learning”[3] .He goes on to cite the specific study conducted statewide by Calidornia. A cross-sectional study completed by the California Department of Education (CDE) (2002), included a sample of 954,000 students who were in grades five (353,000), seven (322,000), and nine (279,000).[4] The study individually matched Stanford Achievement Test Ninth Edition (SAT-9) standardized test scores with results of the state-mandated, teacher administered, physical fitness test, known as the Fitnessgram. The study showed a "statistical analysis indicating a distinct and linear correlation between students' academic achievement and fitness scores" in all three grades.[5] Higher academic performance was positively related to higher levels of fitness with the greatest academic gains in students who met three or more physical fitness standards.
Scheuer concludes that enhanced brain function, energy levels, body builds/perceptions, self-esteem, and behavior have been attributed to physical activity and to improved academic performance.[6] One cannot make direct correlations from the information offered. However it is obvious that many positive relationships have been suggested. Perhaps instead of decreasing physical activity, school officials should consider developing enhanced physical activity programs.
Reflection:
Once again, this research draws its conclusions from correlation studies. In the editorial Scheuer argues that physical activity does, in fact, lead to higher academic success. I believed his information was much more accurate because it used an actual sample of students from the state of California. The test specifically related the physical fitness tests taken in gym class and that statewide standardized test and found a correlation between the scores in each. Scheuer makes a great point in this article when he says that instead of decreasing physical activity we should promote it based on its benefits. I tied this research into my statement that school boards favor academic constructs such as teacher effectiveness rather than look to a direct link to improve academics.Scholarly Article
http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED500831.pdfSummary:
Researchers Michael J. Puma and Duncan Chaplin ask the question,does participation in out-of-school extracurricular activities improve academic achievement or behavior for elementary school children? Analyses were conducted using relatively standard techniques to control for the fact that students who participate in out-of-school-time extracurricular activities differ in important ways from nonparticipants. These analyses found statistically significant and positive effects of such participation in arts, music, drama, and language classes. Research found that the results were not only highly dependent on the choice of analytical approach, but the initial positive effects disappeared when more appropriate analytical models were used.[7]Reflection:
This article outlines a problem that I had with the majority of my research. Most studies concerning extracurricular activities only used correlations between the activities and academic achievement. Unfortunately, while it does provide insight to if certain actions effect an outcome, it cannot stand as a valid measure of effectiveness by itself. A more reliable test would be to track students before and after physical activity and measure if their scores did improve. To further the point the article was trying to make, the researchers could have provided the reader with the data pertaining to students who did not participate in extracurricular activities and their test scores.Analysis Article
Reese, Daniel I., and Joseph J. Sabia. "Sports Participation and Academic Performance: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health." ScienceDirect. 30 Apr.2010.Web.01Dec.2010.<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VB9-4YYXJTX>Summary:
While several studies have shown that students who participate in athletic activities perform better in school than those who do not, it is not clear whether this association is a result of positive academic spillovers, or due to the influence of unobservables. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and a variety of statistical techniques designed to distinguish between these hypotheses, researchers Daniel Reese and Joseph Sabia examined the effect of sports participation on several measures of academic performance.Reflection:
This study concludes that there is a link between extracurricular activities and academic success. But it also says that this may be a result of positive academic spillovers such as great teachers, an extraordinary learning environment, or well motivated children. Additionally, it does not take into account unobservable factors such as coincidences (students who are great students even if they didn't play sports). I thought this was a great article because of its in depth analysis of the different factors that may effect student success.Shephard RJ. Curricular physical activity and academic performance. Pediatric Exercise Science, 1997;9:113-125
Tremblay, M. S., Inman, J. W., & Willms, J. D. (2000). The Relationship Between Physical Activity, Self-Esteem, and Academic Achievement in 12-Year-Old Children. Pediatric Exercise Science, 12, 312-324.
Scheuer, Leslee J. "Does Physical Activity Influence Academic Performance?" Sports Media. SportaPolis, May 2003. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. .
Cocke, A. (2002). Brain May Also Pump up from Workout. Retrieved April 11, 03, from Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Web Site: http://www.neurosurgery.medsch.ucla.edu/whastnew/societyforneuroscience.htm
Scheuer, Leslee J. "Does Physical Activity Influence Academic Performance?" Sports Media. SportaPolis, May 2003. Web. 1 Dec. 2010. .
Puma, Michael J., and Duncan Chaplin. "What "Extras" Do We Get with Extracurriculars? Technical Research Considerations." Urban Institute, 30 Sept. 2003. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. .